Hongluo Temple (hóng luó sì 紅螺寺) is 4 kilometers away from north Huairou District of Beijing. It is covers an area of 8 square kilometers and integrates the natural landscape with manmade features. First built in the fourth year of Xiankang during East Jin Dynasty, Hongluo Temple was renovated duringTang Dynasty . It was called Daming Temple at first, and changed its name to “Huguozifu Temple”during Ming Dynasty, and Hongluo Temple as its popular name.
Hongluo Temple is the source region of Buddhism in north China, and it is also regarded as the No. 1 ancient temple in Northern China. It is said that Hongluo Temple in north China is as thePutuo Temple in south China. Three most prominent scenic areas of the temple complex are called Imperial Bamboo, Male and Female Gingko, and Pines Entangled with Chinese Wisteria.
Imperial Bamboo, with a history of more than 600 years, is planted by Yunshan, a Buddhist monk in Yuan Dynasty. Emperor Kangxi during Qing Dynasty enjoyed the sight of these bamboos here. There are millions of bamboos which forms the bamboo grove with the largest area, longest history and best growth in northern China.
Male and Female Gingko is located on both side of the Daxiongbaodian Hall . The gingko at the west side is male and east side female. The trees are more than 1100 years old, with the height of 30 meters. However, they look alive. People called them “couple tree” because the male tree blooms in spring but does not produce fruit in autumn whereas the female tree does not bloom in spring but produce fruits in autumn. It is said that one tree does not make a forest. But it seems that the male gingko in Hongluo Temple will make a forest for there are ten branches growing at the root of it.
Pines Entangled with Chinese Wisteria is at the front of Sansheng Hall. There are two ancient wisterias entwine the pines, covering the area of 400 square kilometers. Around May Day, the Chinese Wisteria blooms and the marvelous scenery is second to none.
中國名勝丨碧波藏古剎，仙女降紅塵：紅螺寺
紅螺山上紅螺寺景區位於北京市懷柔區城北4公里的紅螺山南麓，距北京市區55公里，景區總面積800公頃，國家AAAA級旅遊區。紅螺寺始建於東晉鹹康四年（公元338），原名“大明寺"明正統年間易名“護國資福禪寺”，因紅螺仙女的美妙傳說，俗稱“紅螺寺”。
紅螺山是馳名中外的佛教名山古剎，有著1600多年的悠久歷史和深厚的佛教文化底蘊，它的開山緣起，可以追溯到中國佛教初興的東晉時代，是中國北方佛教的發祥地和佛教叢林。
山門前有一片竹林為元代雲山禪師所栽植，距今已有600多年的歷史。據《懷柔縣誌》記載：清康熙32年（公元1694年）聖駕紅螺寺降香，看到這片翠綠的竹林倍感新奇，即令身邊的官員清點竹子的數量為613株，臨走前叮囑寺內的僧人和當地的官員要對竹林善加保護，以便他常來觀賞，後來人們就稱這片竹林為“御竹林”。
大雄寶殿前有兩棵古銀杏樹，東邊的雌樹清秀矮小些，西邊的雄樹高大粗壯。這棵雄的銀杏樹，樹齡在1100年以上，樹高30多米，整個樹的圍度達到7米之多，雖逾千年但生機不減。每年春天雄樹開滿淡黃色的小花，秋天不見果實，而雌樹每年春天不見花開秋天卻果實累累，人們覺得它們象天作一雙、珠聯璧合的夫妻，所以也稱他們為夫妻樹。
在大雄寶殿後三聖殿前的院落西側，是“紅螺三絕景”之一的紫藤寄松。這景是一棵平頂松和兩口藤蘿構成，這棵平頂松高約6米，枝分九杈，把它有力的臂膀平行的伸向了四面八方，而兩棵碗口粗的藤蘿又如龍盤玉柱一樣爬滿了整個枝頭，為這棵松樹增添了媚嫵之感，而且松藤並茂形成了一把天然的巨傘，遮蔭面積近300平米。每年5月初，滿架的藤蘿花就象一串串的紫瑪瑙墜滿整個枝頭，如一片紫色的祥雲浮在殿宇之間，濃郁的花香飄滿整個寺院。（圖源網絡）
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